Random CTA

[MetroShadow]

2 hours ago, Sam92 said:

I wonder since the 13th portal is technically expendable (outside of 2013 when reused for the Ryan protect but a really rare situation and we still have ways to transfer rolling stock) I wonder is there enough level space to work with between that and 17th Junction for some turn back space?

That was my initial thought; also wondering why there wasn't a middle track at 35th (both Green and Red). 58th (Green) and 63rd (Red) are a bit far to do any turnbacks. But if the 78 was completed with the additional station, that could be the best chance. 

[artthouwill]

6 hours ago, Sam92 said:

I wonder since the 13th portal is technically expendable (outside of 2013 when reused for the Ryan protect but a really rare situation and we still have ways to transfer rolling stock) I wonder is there enough level space to work with between that and 17th Junction for some turn back space?

I rhino the 13th portal is important to keep.   I

1.  Supposing a 15/Clark station gets built, Red Line trains  could use the 13th portal and the 18th St flyover  as a construction detour with minimal delay. 

2.  At some point during the RLE the 98th St Yard will have to close while construction connects the Dam Ryan tracks to the  ew track along I 57.  There will be at least one more period when Red Line South trains will have t go to 63rd/Ashland before RLE construction is completed. 

[Busjack]

20 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

2.  At some point during the RLE the 98th St Yard will have to close while construction connects the Dam Ryan tracks to the  ew track along I 57.  There will be at least one more period when Red Line South trains will have t go to 63rd/Ashland before RLE construction is completed. 

That's not necessarily the case.   The yard goes down the Bishop Ford to the east, while the RLE branches to the west. There might be a slight interruption to make the track connection, but they didn't shut down the NSM to make a connection to the Brown Line flyover. At worst, they would have to cut back to 87th. They won't be digging up the whole Dan Ryan branch as they did the last time.

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

That's not necessarily the case.   The yard goes down the Bishop Ford to the east, while the RLE branches to the west. There might be a slight interruption to make the track connection, but they didn't shut down the NSM to make a connection to the Brown Line flyover. At worst, they would have to cut back to 87th. They won't be digging up the whole Dan Ryan branch as they did the last time.

It looks like they have a way to keep the yard open during the extension but some trains might get sent to 63rd for like a month like during the station rebuild. The crossover definitely looks like it needs be taken out and arranged to still get trains into the yard while starting a path towards I-57 (I don't know if it's going to immediately up and over or just dive under then rise up like between Cermak and 35th).

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, Sam92 said:

It looks like they have a way to keep the yard open during the extension but some trains might get sent to 63rd for like a month like during the station rebuild. The crossover definitely looks like it needs be taken out and arranged to still get trains into the yard while starting a path towards I-57 (I don't know if it's going to immediately up and over or just dive under then rise up like between Cermak and 35th).

When someone posted an elevation in response to some @nitro ignorance, it was up and over, but that seemed steep.

Also, they just rebuilt the 95th station, so why would they have to do it again?

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, Sam92 said:

It looks like they have a way to keep the yard open during the extension but some trains might get sent to 63rd for like a month like during the station rebuild. The crossover definitely looks like it needs be taken out and arranged to still get trains into the yard while starting a path towards I-57 (I don't know if it's going to immediately up and over or just dive under then rise up like between Cermak and 35th).

 

23 minutes ago, Busjack said:

When someone posted an elevation in response to some @nitro ignorance, it was up and over, but that seemed steep.

Also, they just rebuilt the 95th station, so why would they have to do it again?

I didn't say they they need to rebuild 95th; I said they might have to send a handful of trains to 63rd and Ashland in a similar way to when the station was being rebuilt because the crossover/yard tracks south of the station are definitely in the way of the work area for whatever incline or brief tunnel leading to the extension. So @artthouwillmight have a point. They'll have to move the crossover and yard tracks out of the way to get the ROW to I-57 and still keep access to the yard. 

[Busjack]

10 hours ago, Sam92 said:

 

I didn't say they they need to rebuild 95th; I said they might have to send a handful of trains to 63rd and Ashland in a similar way to when the station was being rebuilt because the crossover/yard tracks south of the station are definitely in the way of the work area for whatever incline or brief tunnel leading to the extension. So @artthouwillmight have a point. They'll have to move the crossover and yard tracks out of the way to get the ROW to I-57 and still keep access to the yard. 

As I indicated,  that would be at most temporary, and there are crossovers at every station. They could crossover at 87th. All sorts of switches were added to NSM before track work was done on the Fullerton,  Belmont  Wilson  and RPM projects. It may be necessary to stage a few cars at 63rd and Racine,  but shutting down the whole line,  no way. 

Besides,  CTA has sold the property that was used as the bus terminal at Garfield and the buses it acquired for the shuttle are now 4300 series junk.

[Sam92]

34 minutes ago, Busjack said:

As I indicated,  that would be at most temporary, and there are crossovers at every station. They could crossover at 87th. All sorts of switches were added to NSM before track work was done on the Fullerton,  Belmont  Wilson  and RPM projects. It may be necessary to stage a few cars at 63rd and Racine,  but shutting down the whole line,  no way. 

Besides,  CTA has sold the property that was used as the bus terminal at Garfield and the buses it acquired for the shuttle are now 4300 series junk.

Where do you keep getting a full shutdown of the branch? I never said shut down the Dan Ryan.  I'm talking about the 2017 reroute @artthouwill where SOME (not all) Red Lines were sent to Ashland while the rest still went to 95th. The interlocking to the yard has to be moved to build the embankment for the extension. So we're talking a month of maybe 5-7 trains doing trains being diverted since work on the interlocking will reduce the number of trains that can be laid up; I'm not talking a full shut down. 

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, Sam92 said:

I'm talking about the 2017 reroute @artthouwill where SOME (not all) Red Lines were sent to Ashland while the rest still went to 95th. The interlocking to the yard has to be moved to build the embankment for the extension. So we're talking a month of maybe 5-7 trains doing trains being diverted since work on the interlocking will reduce the number of trains that can be laid up; I'm not talking a full shut down. 

Even if "partial," it is a shutdown, and as I said above, totally unnecessary. There might be a need to store some cars at 63rd, but there is no need to send revenue trips there.  For that matter, they could store them at 54th.

As I also said, there were plenty of interlockings moved on the north side, but I don't think there were prolonged closures of the Red Line at Sheridan. 

Finally, I don't think either you or @artthouwill are employed by Walsh Vinci Transit Community Partners and REDefine Southside Partners, the design-build and construction managers of the project, whom I assume have a critical path analysis for the project.

And I am not impressed with your retreat into semantics.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Even if "partial," it is a shutdown, and as I said above, totally unnecessary. There might be a need to store some cars at 63rd, but there is no need to send revenue trips there.  For that matter, they could store them at 54th.

As I also said, there were plenty of interlockings moved on the north side, but I don't think there were prolonged closures of the Red Line at Sheridan. 

Finally, I don't think either you or @artthouwill are employed by Walsh Vinci Transit Community Partners and REDefine Southside Partners, the design-build and construction managers of the project, whom I assume have a critical path analysis for the project.

And I am not impressed with your retreat into semantics.

Respectfully you aren't employed by them either. As @Sam92 points out, there's precedentin 2017.  If what you are claiming was an option,  they would have done it back then.   

My larger point was about keeping  the 13th St incline portal  open.   I mentioned rerouting Red Line trains around the construction of a potential new station at 15th/Clark as well as a reroute of some Red Line trains to 63rd Ashland.   Whether CTA does that or bir, keeping 13th portal open was the gist  of my initial post because someone suggested.   closing 

 

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

As @Sam92 points out, there's precedentin [sic] 2017.  If what you are claiming was an option,  they would have done it back then.   

I

What was it? It certainly wasn't RLE. Maybe the 95th station rebuild, but not a significant disruption.  On the other hand, how do you and @Sam92 explain that the NSM continued to operate? Not just that it had 4 tracks.

Quote

My larger point was about keeping  the 13th St incline portal  open.   I mentioned rerouting Red Line trains around the construction of a potential new station at 15th/Clark as well as a reroute of some Red Line trains to 63rd Ashland.   Whether CTA does that or bir, keeping 13th portal open was the gist  of my initial post because someone suggested.   closing 

I don't think anyone seriously suggested that. The only real argument was that made over the 14-year old article that the Purple Line should go into the subway and where a Roosevelt train could turn back. The only "precedent" was 37th.

[Sam92]

41 minutes ago, Busjack said:

What was it? It certainly wasn't RLE. Maybe the 95th station rebuild, but not a significant disruption.  On the other hand, how do you and @Sam92 explain that the NSM continued to operate? Not just that it had 4 tracks.

 

Because we're talking YARD ACCESS not line shutdowns. We're saying the Dan Ryan branch will be open and operating but the YARD might not be able to hold EVERY TRAIN due to the crossover SOUTH OF 95th and before the curve leading to the Ford. I don't get where any of this translates to no service at all.  2017/2018 not 2013. The schedule shows exactly what @artthouwilland I are explaining. Literally the same thing they did when they rebuilt the station

[Busjack]

15 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Because we're talking YARD ACCESS not line shutdowns. We're saying the Dan Ryan branch will be open and operating but the YARD might not be able to hold EVERY TRAIN due to the crossover SOUTH OF 95th and before the curve leading to the Ford. I don't get where any of this translates to no service at all.  2017/2018 not 2013. The schedule shows exactly what @artthouwilland I are explaining. Literally the same thing they did when they rebuilt the station

Finally you are expressing yourself clearly,  but I said before that some cars might have to be stored at Racine.  Go back and read it.

Short term stuff happens.  Yesterday the Lake Street bridge was out  but they didn't run Green Line trains in the stub under Lake Street,  not that they could. 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

Are CTA employees, especially rail terminal supervisors, allowed to take pictures of people that are standing outside on the street, especially a supervisor who has continually been giving me problems every time I visit the specific station she’s assigned to? I had a supervisor take a picture of me out on the street when I didn’t enter the rail station today, but this specific supervisor has been giving me problems on other days this week and I’ve already reported her twice before she took her phone out to take a picture of me. I’m just curious to see if supervisors are allowed to actually take pictures of people standing out on the street from their booth.

[Shannon tahoeppv]

On 5/29/2026 at 6:00 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Are CTA employees, especially rail terminal supervisors, allowed to take pictures of people that are standing outside on the street, especially a supervisor who has continually been giving me problems every time I visit the specific station she’s assigned to? I had a supervisor take a picture of me out on the street when I didn’t enter the rail station today, but this specific supervisor has been giving me problems on other days this week and I’ve already reported her twice before she took her phone out to take a picture of me. I’m just curious to see if supervisors are allowed to actually take pictures of people standing out on the street from their booth.

Yes you are in public so smile for the camera when you leave your house your picture is being taken everywhere 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1 hour ago, Shannon tahoeppv said:

Yes you are in public so smile for the camera when you leave your house your picture is being taken everywhere 

Yes I am aware and CTA has surveillance cameras and I do plenty of pictures and videos myself on the buses and trains. I www only asking if an employee at-work is allowed to do such.

[Busjack]

47 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Yes I am aware and CTA has surveillance cameras and I do plenty of pictures and videos myself on the buses and trains. I www only asking if an employee at-work is allowed to do such.

It would depend only on an internal rule, since, as @Shannon tahoeppv says, otherwise you are in public. IDK if you reporting it to CTA would make any difference, but that's your recourse.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

38 minutes ago, Busjack said:

It would depend only on an internal rule, since, as @Shannon tahoeppv says, otherwise you are in public. IDK if you reporting it to CTA would make any difference, but that's your recourse.

Yeah i was only wondering if it was an internal rule or not that's just what i was clarifying since I've heard before that bus operators can't do that on the job but yeah I just wanted to clarify so thanks.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Yes I am aware and CTA has surveillance cameras and I do plenty of pictures and videos myself on the buses and trains. I www only asking if an employee at-work is allowed to do such.

There are YouTube CTA Ride the Rails videos which are filmed the operator cab.  But i assume that it was authorized .   

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

5 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

There are YouTube CTA Ride the Rails videos which are filmed the operator cab.  But i assume that it was authorized .   

It is because this was CTA's idea and they wanted to post some videos on their YouTube channel in this case I know it is allowed

[Busjack]

CTA Press Release: 

Catch the CTA to Pokemon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum

The Field Museum and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are teaming up this summer to celebrate the North American debut of Pokémon Fossil Museum. Pokémon fans can build up excitement for the exhibition while riding select CTA routes featuring artwork from Pokémon Fossil Museum to the Field Museum. Riders can also purchase limited-edition Ventra cards with an image of Excavator Pikachu.

In short, what the bleep is this, and what's CTA's interest in this, other than to sell extra-cost Ventra cards?

[pudgym29]

18 hours ago, Busjack said:

CTA Press Release: 

Catch the CTA to Pokemon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum

The Field Museum and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are teaming up this summer to celebrate the North American debut of Pokémon Fossil Museum. Pokémon fans can build up excitement for the exhibition while riding select CTA routes featuring artwork from Pokémon Fossil Museum to the Field Museum. Riders can also purchase limited-edition Ventra cards with an image of Excavator Pikachu.

In short, what the bleep is this, and what's CTA's interest in this, other than to sell extra-cost Ventra cards?

I must deduce you are unaware of a massive interest in buying | selling Pokémon trading cards. In Japan, the craze has resulted in organized gangs of resellers buying the 'Happy Meal' only to get the trading cards and not consuming the food! Such that McDonald's Japan had to revise the promotion the next time it ran it. [c.v. https://soranews24.com/2025/08/14/mcdonalds-japan-vs-pokemon-happy-meal-resellers-new-purchase-restrictions-announced/ ] 

I surmise the Authority believes there is a chance persons might buy up a lot of the Pokemon Ventra Cards to resell them at a premium price. 

[MetroShadow]

30 minutes ago, pudgym29 said:

I must deduce you are unaware of a massive interest in buying | selling Pokémon trading cards. In Japan, the craze has resulted in organized gangs of resellers buying the 'Happy Meal' only to get the trading cards and not consuming the food! Such that McDonald's Japan had to revise the promotion the next time it ran it. [c.v. https://soranews24.com/2025/08/14/mcdonalds-japan-vs-pokemon-happy-meal-resellers-new-purchase-restrictions-announced/ ] 

I surmise the Authority believes there is a chance persons might buy up a lot of the Pokemon Ventra Cards to resell them at a premium price. 

 

19 hours ago, Busjack said:

CTA Press Release: 

Catch the CTA to Pokemon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum

The Field Museum and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are teaming up this summer to celebrate the North American debut of Pokémon Fossil Museum. Pokémon fans can build up excitement for the exhibition while riding select CTA routes featuring artwork from Pokémon Fossil Museum to the Field Museum. Riders can also purchase limited-edition Ventra cards with an image of Excavator Pikachu.

In short, what the bleep is this, and what's CTA's interest in this, other than to sell extra-cost Ventra cards?

At the risk of aging myself -

The joys of being a millennial - we were in the swing of trading cards in the late 80's and early 90's; and Pokémon as a game and trading card craze came in the late 90's (and never went away). 

It's a great marketing hack to get new riders. Don't get me started with what BART has been doing for the last year. 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, pudgym29 said:

I surmise the Authority believes there is a chance persons might buy up a lot of the Pokemon Ventra Cards to resell them at a premium price. 

CTA probably will clean up in that the card is extra cost, and you have to put at least $5 in transit value on it, which, like the USPS promoting stamp collecting, probably won't be used if someone buys a collection. They are only available online, and the  Ventra page says for an additional $5. I assume the purchaser also has to have or open a Ventra account. That's a lot of hoops to go through to get to the resale market.

Of course there is the question of what scientific value this has, but the Field Museum's FAQs state to buy online to assure availability and it is an additional cost ticket.. There's also plenty of merch available. So we can tell what the Museum's interest is.

Next I suppose the Adler Planetarium will have an exhibition of watercolors of Bart Simpson dropping his pants and showing his moon.

[EasyMoney]

Seems like cta updated the P.A announcements on the buses it’s a new announcement when the doors open “Fare Payment is required” aslo it announce transfers to metra and other L stations at stops it recently didn’t not before